Political
parties frame
the debate, recruit candidates and raise money. The Democratic
and
Republican parties dominate American politics and are organized at the
national, state, and local level level. Other parties (click
here) are struggling to gain a foothold. Over
the past decade in many states, an increasing percentage of the
electorate
has chosen to remain unaffiliated (ex.1, ex.2).

Progressive
Democrats of America
to work within the general framework of the Democratic Party and with
sister organizations to create a new, democratic, grassroots-based,
nationally federated organization.

In a political
landscape
dominated by the Democratic and Republican parties, third or minor
parties
have had trouble getting rooted. (SeeBallot
Access News).
Four third parties are working to build a national presence and are
running
candidates in various states: Greens, Libertarian Party,
Reform Party, and Constitution Party (formerly U.S. Taxpayers
Party). A fifth party, The
Natural Law Party, closed its national headquarters in April 2004.